Dredging Roadmap, Protocols, Facts

International regulations that are followed by all shipping nations have long been seen as the best way to improve sea-going safety. Still it was only with the establishment of the United Nations after World War II that these suggestions were made concrete. In 1948 an international conference in Switzerland adopted a Convention that established the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) and in the1980s the name was changed to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Today the IMO is responsible for the institution of several Conventions that have established guidances for safety, for protecting the seas from pollution by regulating placement of waste at sea and by guidelines for fuel usage and multiple other shipping-related issues. The dredging industry as a rule is subject to these conventions and this has often had consequences for dredging as it is not the same as marine transportation of freight, fuel or people.

Although not all nations are party to these agreements, many are, and when working in or with the dredging industry, understanding these concepts is crucial. In all cases, before embarking on dredging activities, consultants and contractors are advised to become fully informed of the client's and stakeholders' expectations and of specific governmental (national/regional/ international) requirements regarding permits, sediment treatment and placement of dredged material.

All Facts About are downloadable in PDF form at the IADC website and printed copies can be ordered by contacting the IADC Secretariat: info@iadc-dredging.com.

Other Facts About in the series are: Site Investigations, Turbidity, Alliance Contracts, Procurement, Environmental Impact Assessments, Surveying, Soil Improvement, Dredged Material as a Resource, Dredging Management Practices for the Environment, Deltas and Climate Change, Confined Disposal Facilities, Environmental Monitoring, Building with Nature and Dredging Around Coral Reefs.